I am running for a seat on the PAUSD School Board. I have been informed that there are some mistaken statements from other people about my positions and some facts that have been repeated on WeChat. I would like to take this opportunity to state corrections where I have heard about mistakes.

If you have any questions for me about these positions, or anything else, please feel free to contact me directly and give me the chance to meet with you. My phone number is 650-906-4340 and my email address is kenneth.dauber@gmail.com. Please also visit my website at http://kendauber.com  

Here are my corrections to what has been circulated:

1. I want to enable every student to meet his or her potential. We should raise the floor for achievement, and make sure that there is no ceiling. I do not support lowering achievement for any student. I do not want to leave students behind, nor do I want to hold students back. Each student should be able to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

2. I support our AP class offerings, and do not support reducing or eliminating our AP class offerings. My own children took AP classes.

3. I never supported SCA-5, and I want more slots in the University of California for graduates of our high schools. The biggest issue in that regard currently is the  admission of out of state students at much higher rates than previously. For example, in the last 5 years there are 800 fewer slots for California freshmen at UC Berkeley but 1000 more for out of state students. 

4. I am not in any way responsible for any U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Right (OCR) complaints. I did not recruit, encourage, or arrange for anyone to file a complaint. 

5. I have not encouraged any lawsuits against PAUSD. In fact, I don't know of any lawsuits against PAUSD related to bullying or harassment.

6. I have never held a seminar to encourage lawsuits against PAUSD. In 2013, I participated, along with several parent groups including the special education parent group CAC, to invite staff members from the Office for Civil Rights to do a parent education event about bullying because so many complaints had been filed that there was community interest in the subject of bullying. The event was held at Ohlone Elementary School. Superintendent Skelly attended the event, along with about 100 other people. This was an education event and there was no opportunity at the meeting to file a complaint and no one was urged to do so.

7. I was a consultant to OCR from 2009-2012 to help with survey design data analysis for the Civil Rights Data Collection, a national survey of schools that is used by researchers and policymakers. My consulting work did not involve complaints or investigations, or any discussion of any issue involving Palo Alto or PAUSD.

8. I know Russlynn Ali, the former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights from 2009-2012, from helping her with data analysis at the Education Trust West from 2001-2008. Russlynn asked me to help with the Civil Rights Data Collection when she moved to Washington in 2009. I never communicated with her about any PAUSD issue, and didn't learn of any OCR investigations in Palo Alto until 2013, when I read about them in the newspaper like everyone else. I had no role in the complaints.

I am very troubled that my positions on issues have been so misrepresented in the Chinese parent community. I am a strong supporter of an inclusive school district. I want our schools, site councils, PTAs, sports teams, clubs, and our school board to reflect the diversity of our community, and I will work as a school board member to make sure that happens.

Best wishes,

Ken Dauber